Ways to help keep your kids safe this summer

June is National Safety Month, a time to think about preventing injuries, especially with children who are home for the summer.

According to SafeKids Wyoming, 64,000 children end up in the emergency room annually, due to accidental poisoning.

In 2014, there were 3,817 child deaths nationwide from car crashes.

The number one killer of children ages one to four-years old? Drowning.

It’s a fact of life that children are going to fall and crash and slip and tumble, but there are some things we all can do to lessen some of the “boo-boos” of childhood.

One of the most important parts of child safety is a properly installed car seat. Correctly used child safety seats can reduce the risk of death by as much as 71 percent.

You can find a car seat checklist at safekids.org and if you’re having a little trouble, there are people at the Law Enforcement Center or Public Health that can give you a hand.

And be sure to wear your seat belt, too. When adults wear their seat belts, kids wear seat belts, so be a good example and buckle up.

It is nearly inevitable, but sometimes kids get into things that they probably shouldn’t.

Half of the two million calls to the Poison Help Number in 2011 involved children ages five and under. Nine out of 10 poisonings occur at home.

One of the best things any parent can do is store household products and cleaning solutions out of sight and out of children’s reach.

Under the sink, where most of us store cleaning products, is eye-level for small children and their bright colors are enticing for little ones.

Medications should be stored safely as well, along with art supplies, personal care products and alcohol. Those convenient laundry packs and dishwasher packets are dangerous, too, and should be stored up and away from small hands.

If accidental poisoning should happen, one number to keep posted in your home is the Poison Help Number, 800-222-1222.

When it comes to water safety and the possibility of drowning is not just something to think about when you’re at the swimming pool or at the lake.

Always keep an eye on kids when they are near water and keep small children within arm’s reach of an adult. Leave your cellphone or other electronics aside to prevent yourself from being distracted.

Never leave a child alone in the bathtub and be sure to empty all buckets and kiddie pools immediately after use. It’s a good idea to store them upside down so they don’t collect water from rain or sprinklers.

Even something as simple as closing the lid on your toilet can prevent a possible drowning in the home. Keeping doors to bathrooms and laundry rooms closed are another step to prevention.

Do you know what to do in an emergency? Learning CPR and basic water rescue skills may help you save your child’s life.

During June, its not just the little ones that need a safety check, teens and tweens can always use a refresher on safety practices, too.

While skating and skateboarding can increase agility, balance, coordination and reaction time, more than 80,000 people are treated in emergency rooms for skateboard-related injuries every year.

Every skater should wear a helmet. Wrist guards, knee pads and elbow pads are a good idea for everyone, but especially for those just starting out. Mouth guards protect against broken teeth.

Teach your teen to check their skates or boards for problems before they use them and if they are cracked, loose or broken parts, ensure they’re fixed or replaced before using them.

Learning how to fall the right way, by crouching down when they start to lose their balance will reduce the difference to the ground, lessening the chance of breaking a bone.

Getting a sports physical before your son or daughter plays any organized sports is always a good idea in order to make sure they’re ready to play.

Keep them well hydrated by sending a water bottle to practices as well as games and show them how stretch out to release muscle tension to prevent sports related injuries.

For all kinds of safety tips for kids of all ages, check out safekidswyoming.org and safekids.org.